Fastener.



No. 707,369. Patented Aug. I9, |902.

J. E. TRAVEB.

FASTENEB.

(Application filed July 6, 1900.)

(No Model.)

wnNEssEs INVENTDR ATTORNEY Nrrno STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

JAY E. TRAVER, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOOD. YEARSMETALLIC RUBBER SHOE COMPANY AND THE GOODYEARS INDIA RUBBER GLOVEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, CORPORATIONS OFCONNECTICUT.

FASTENE-.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,369, dated. August19, 1902.

Application led July 6, 1900. Serial No. 22,694. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beitknown that I, JAY E. TRAVER, .a citizen of the United States,and a'resident of the town of Naugatuck, in the county of New Haven and Stateof Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fasteners,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to fasteners adapted for securing together theparts of shoes, garments, belts, and other articles.

The objects of my invention.are .perma nency of adjustment, theoperations of fastening and unfastening not disturbing the adjustment,accuracy of adjustment, the adjustment being to any desired point,reliability of action, the fastener being non-slipping, although holdingan unperforated flexible tab Without marring the tab, readiness and easeof manipulation, smooth finish and absence of protruding parts, thecomfort of the wearer, simplicity and cheapness of construction,strength and durability, and other advantageous features,.as willhereifnafter appear.

The accompanying drawings .illustrate an embodiment of my invention inthe form in which I purpose applying it as a fastener for overshoes.

Figure l is a front elevation of the upper -portion of an overshoehaving two fasteners embodying my invention thereon. Fig. 2 is anenlarged part horizontal section of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. l.Fig. 3 is an enlarged face elevation of the slide detached. Fig. 4: isan enlarged face elevation of the loop detached.

According to my invention the fastener comprises two parts, one partconsisting of a flexible strap or tongue of the garment, shoe, zc.,which part I herein denominate a tab,77A and an adjustable part or slideon the tab, and the other part constructed to receive the tab with theadjustable part or slide thereon and to engage the same to hold theparts of the fastener together and to disengage the same to permit theseparation of the two parts of the fastener. According to my inventionthe engagement and disengagement of the parts of the fastener does notdisturb the relationship of the adjustable part or slide and the tab.

In the fastener embodying my invention shown in the accompanyingdrawings the part upon the tab d consists of a slide b, having threecross-bars g, e, and g, and the other part of the fastener comprises theloop c, having a curved front cross-bar h and a rear fastening cross-barj. The slide b slips over and engages the tab @which passes behind anouter cross-bang, infront of the middle cross-bar c, and behind theother outer crossbar g thereof, so that the outer cross-bars of theslide are in front of the tab. The slide Z9 is wider than the opening inthe loop c, but may be inserted within the loop without detachment fromor disturbance of its adjustment on the tab, and in the constructionshown this is provided for by making the opening in theloop c ofsufficient length to permit the slide andv tab to be entered obliquelytherein, but with the slide nearly or substantially parallel to theloop. In the construction shown the slide b is caused to enter at therear of the opening and comes through and in front of the loop c, andafter it has been thus brought in front of the loop the ordinary tensionof the parts will bring it back against the face of the loop and it willpress against the face of the loop, and the parts ofthe fastener will beheld together and cannot be disengaged under any of the conditions ofuse. Disengagement of the parts can only be effected by moving the slideand tab in the opposite direction vfrom that of the stress'of the partsof the fastener, twisting the tab and slide to oblique position, andmoving the slide and tab rearwardly out through the loop, thus reversingthe operation of inserting the tab and sliden the loop. The upperfastener in Fig. l is shownwith the parts disengaged, While the lowerfastener is shown with the parts engaged. The end of the tab d may beallowed to project, as shown, or may not be brought in front of the loopor may be brought out in front of the loop and then tucked in behind theloop and flap CZ of the shoe. According to myinvention the innercross-bar of the slide is provided with one or more projections, whichpress upon and to some extent into the material of the flexible tab andinsure a tight grip of the slide upon the tab, so as to prevent slippingof the slide upon the tab. In the construction shown the inner or middlecross-bar e of the slide b is provided with two projections f f, one oneach side of the cross-bar and located medially thereon. As the tab a isflexed or curved in passing in front of the middle cross-bar e frombehind the outer cross-bars g g on each side of the lniddle bar, thematerial of the tab will be Very tightly pressed against the projectionsff, and a very tight grip will result from this construction. Thisgripping action is also assisted by the curved shape of the outercross-bars g g, which grip the tab tightly in proximity to its edges.Vhen the parts of the fastener are engaged, the cross-bar t of the loopc is between the tab and slide, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thecross-bar t of the loop being just in rear of the left-hand outercross-bar g of the slide. This tends to press the tab more tightlyagainst the left-hand projection f of the middle cross-bar of the slide,and any tension applied to the tab would still further increase thispressure, and thus the grip of the slide on the tab would be tightenedas the tension on the tab increased, and with my improved constructionthe slide will be so tightly held upon the tab that it cannot slip underany of the conditions of use. Nevertheless the slide may be readilyadjusted to desired position, as itis only necessary to loosen the loopin the tab to bring the parts in such position that the slide may bemoved to desired position on the tab, and it will be observed that thisadjustment may be as fine and accurate as desired, as the slide may beheld at any desired point. It willbe noted that the engagement anddisengagement of the fastener does not disturb this adjustment of theslide upon the tab, and therefore the adjustment having been once madeto suit the conditions of use may be permanently retained or retaineduntil the conditions of use are changed.

In the construction shown in the drawings the two tabs a a (shown inFig. l) are secured to and project from the flap t' of the shoe and theloops c o are secured to and project from the fiap CZ of the shoe. Iprefer to Hatten the inner fastening-barj of the loop c, as shown, sothat a comparatively flat finish will be obtained Where thisfastening-bar enters between the layers of the material of the overshoe,and this loop may be formed from wire without soldering the ends, asshown, the fastening-barj being composed of two parts meeting or nearlymeeting at or about the middle of the bar.

It will be noted that the construction of the fastener is exceedinglysimple and inexpensive and that there are no parts liable to derangemeutand also that the parts of the fastener have a smooth finish. Theemployment of a tab of cloth or other soft material is desirable, assuch a tab is soft and comfortable to the wearer and much to bepreferred to any metallic strap or tab such as employed in many otherforms of fastener.

Itis evident that various modications may be made in the constructionabove particularly described within the purview of my invention and thatin the application of my fastener to various uses modifications ofconstruction may be desirable.

What l claim, and desire to secure by Letv ters Patent, is-

l. Afastenercomprisiugtwo parts, one part consisting of a tab with auadjustable slide thereon and the other part consisting of a loopprovided with an opening therein, the dimensions of the slide andopening being so related that in one position thereof, with the slideand loop substantially parallel, the slide may be passed through theopening in the loop, and in the normal position thereof, with the slideand loop engaged, a portion of the margin of the slide will bear againstthe loop about the opening,the slide having a cross-bar with one or moreprojections thereon whereby it grips the tab and retains the position towhich it is adjusted upon the tab and is not disturbed therefrom byengagement or disengagement of the slide and loop, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination with a tab and a slide thereon, the slide having across-bar with one or more projections thereon, of a loop constructed toengage between the tab and slide and having an opening therein narrowerthan the slide and longer than the greatest dimension thereof,substantially as set forth.

3. A fastener comprising two parts,one part consisting of a tab and aslide, such slide l) having a middle cross-bar e with projections j'thereon and outer curved cross-bars g, g,

IOO

and the other part consisting of a loop hav- Y ing an opening narrowerthan the slide and longer than the greatest dimension of the slide andwider than the tab, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed this 22d day of June, 1900.

JAY E. TRAVER.

Witnesses:

H. I. CRAMr'roN, HARRY SAUNDERs.

